Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Suborder: Brachycera
Infraorder: Asilomorpha
Superfamily: Empidoidea
Family: Dolichopodidae There are about 5500 species worldwide and over 130 in New Zealand
Species: Parentia
Common name: Long-legged flies, Running flies, Green Longlegged Fly
Dolichopodids are small (4-9 mm), metallic slender fly, brilliantly coloured with metallic hues of green, blue, and copper, with large, prominent eyes. They are characterized by 2 long wings and long slender legs.
Dolichopodids occur in diverse habitats; larvae are commonly found in moist soil and under tree bark and adults are often abundant near streams and are found on foliage, tree bark, and flowers of various plants. Both larvae and adults are predaceous on many other insects and small arthropods, including mites, thrips, psocids, aphids, and other insects larvae. The maggot-like larvae of the long-legged fly are found in such habitats as soil, rotting vegetation, mud, and under tree bark. They are predators or scavengers and hence are beneficial insects.
Many of the species can run on water hence having a common name of running flies.
The native Green longlegged fly
Green longlegged flies copulating
Another spp.
Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
